Eyewear named “Slanties” comprising a solid flat wooden mask, shaped like oversized sunglasses, with slits for the eyes, was sold in the United States in 2009. However, these “Slanties” were flat, and therefore did not conform to the user's face in any manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,500 to Vinci Guerra, et al. discloses an impact resistant positive pressure lens consisting of a first lens integrally formed with an air inlet chamber to effect an air flow through and out a second lens that is provided with air nozzles. The air nozzles direct the flow of air forward of the second lens to prevent paint overspray from adhering to the second lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,865 to Morishita discloses a face covering dust-proof protection mask having small air blowers feeding air under pressure into a face covering type mask. A viewing window is provided on the front surface of the mask body and a transparent guard glass with suitable clearances for allowing blowing-off of air therearound are oppositely fitted inside a viewing window. In addition, numerous small clearances are formed circumferentially between the inner side peripheral edge of the mask body and the face of a user to provide for air leak-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,897 to Woolfolk, Sr. discloses a goggle construction providing a protective curtain of air about the vision openings in the goggles to prevent dust particles and the like from entering the vision openings of the goggles without using transparent lenses for the purpose. A plurality of individual air outlets are provided to form curtains of air about the vision openings. However, these individual air outlets are circumferentially formed in the frame so that they may be dissipated or diffused and thereby lose effectiveness. Further, there is no disclosure of whether the source of compressed air is portable or not.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/724,230 (Publication No. US 2005/0114986 A1), now abandoned, by Hobart, discloses a painter's mask having a header with a number of spaced atomizers to deliver jets of pressurized air over and in front of the shield.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,464,883 to Phillips et al. discloses a painter's mask having annular conduits surrounding eye pieces with discharge apertures distributed thereabout, so that currents of air encircling the glass meet at a point a short distance in front of the surface of the glass.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,722 to Pokhodnya et al. discloses a protective housing having a perforated pipe located on the outside used to divert aerosol flow using air coming out of the perforations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,223 to Hoyecki discloses an air shield for welders comprising a hollow tube perforated along its length and contoured to encircle the neck with openings arranged to direct jets of air outwardly to form an air shield or curtain which disperses fumes and protects the operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,196 to Howell discloses goggles with an attached washing means so that liquid delivered through a member on the goggles flushes the outer surfaces.